Bodycam Video Shows Henry Sanders Arrest Before Death

The stressful minutes leading up to a man’s death in Long Island police custody are shown on recently released bodycam footage.

Bodycam film taken by Suffolk County Police shows the events leading up to Henry Sanders’ death in detention on August 1, 2024, in Wyandanch.

The New York Attorney General’s Office released the video on Thursday, June 26. It shows the August 1, 2024, confrontation between two Suffolk County Police officers and 41-year-old Henry Sanders outside a Wyandanch business.

Around 10:20 a.m., officers received several 911 calls regarding a guy in danger close to North 15th Street and Merritt Avenue.

The video shows Sanders standing outside the store with his pants down to his ankles, revealing his genitalia, and the officers addressing him. Officers continuously order him to pull his pants up, but guy is yelling and flailing around, clearly upset and incoherent.

Sanders fights against the police’ attempts to handcuff him, thrashing and screaming sometimes as they roll him onto his stomach and finally restrain him.

He seems to lose consciousness while in handcuffs a few moments later. According to the AG’s office, Sanders was rushed to the hospital and declared deceased.

Regardless of whether the victim was armed or in custody, the Office of Special Investigation is required by state law to look into any event in which a police officer may have killed someone.

Sanders’ family lawyer Heather Palmore told CBS New York that the police’ treatment of the victim was “totally inappropriate.”

It was too much. It was hard. He seems to have received more criminal treatment than someone in need of medical attention, Palmore added.

The Attorney General’s website has the entire video.